Audubon is calling on beachgoers to make beaches safer for birds by giving nesting birds as much space as possible. Signs or people will alert you to these areas, but some birds haven’t settled down to start nesting yet and may just look like they are resting in the sand.
Beach-nesting birds lay their eggs on the sand. They perceive approaching humans as a threat and will take flight whenever people, or their dogs, approach too closely. If disturbed too often, the birds abandon their eggs and nesting sites.
For a quick reference guide to beach-nesting birds, visit fl.audubon.org.
– Marie Patasin, C2 Communications